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Anonymous
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Here is one possible solution to world hunger. One of the most important nutrients for human beings is calories derived from some form of sugar. This is why doctors give you glucose in the hospital. Chemically producing sugar is extremely complicated but fortunately plants through photosynthesis produce it naturally. Algae are one of the easiest plants to grow. It will grow in a fish tank even when you try to do everything possible to kill it. This could be used to make much needed food. Why not use computer regulated hydroponic tanks to provide the perfect environment to grow algae. It would use automatic feeders and grow lights to maximize production. There would be no seasons, so as soon as one batch is produced you can start a new batch. It would be set up like a production line so when it is mature it would be harvested for its sugar and other nutrients. For the daily recommended diet of 2,000 calories, you would need the calories from about 2.875 gallons of dried algae. Sun dehydration is completed to 10% water within one day. Which means, to get 2.875 gallons of dried algae/10%=28.75 gallons of wet algae. The water could be collected and reused. It is really a matter of scale of production. To make it more palatable, foods like jelly can be made from seaweed, so why not algae. It may even be possible to feed algae to helpful bacteria, much as beer and yogurt are produced. Algae is already high in many nutrients but it could then be fortified with other nutrients. In time algae could be specifically breed or genetically engineered to produce more nutrients. It could also be produced through labor intensive, low tech, but less efficient means if cost becomes a problem. In third world countries, race track ponds or even recycled milk jugs left out on a sunny day may even be a possibility. Urine, when purified is often used as fertilizer when it is scares. The algae could also be fed to krill and both could be fed to fish or other livestock as another source of food.

Who We Are

Carlos Navarro, a grassroots anti-hunger advocate and journalist, has written most of these posts. The views expressed here by the blog owner or guest authors are not necessarily those of Bread for the World.